Buhari joins Congress for Progressive Change

KADUNAâ€” Former Head of State and Presidential candidate of the All Nigeria Peopleâ€™s Party, ANPP, Major-General Mohammed Buhari, has now joined the Congress for Progressive Change, CPC.

Buhari who was the flag bearer of ANPP in 2003 and 2007 presidential elections resigned from the party on February 1, 2010 due to irreconcilable differences between him and the leadership of the ANPP.

In a statement personally signed by Buhari, he said the CPC was founded on his authority by his political associates â€œas a solution to the debilitating, ethical and ideological conflicts in my former party the ANPP.â€

He, however, hinted that the CPC would join hands with other parties based on ideology to form a broad-based coalition for the development of democracy in the country through electoral reforms and the repositioning of the judiciary.

The former Head of State said he delayed his announcement of joining the CPC to give time for further consultations, establishment and consolidation of the partyâ€™s structures.

The statement
The statement which was dated March 17, 2010 read: â€œIt will be recalled that on Monday, the first day of February 2010, I announced the withdrawal of my membership of my erstwhile political party, the ANPP, on account of verifiable irreconcilable differences with the partyâ€™s leadership.

â€œI stated then that I would announce to the nation the name of my new political party for the information of my supporters, admirers and those interested in my political career and future.

â€œI wish to announce with a deep sense of history and duty that my new political party is Congress for Progressive Change, CPC.

â€œThe CPC was founded on my authority by my political associates as a solution to the debilitating, ethical and ideological conflicts in my former party the ANPP.

â€œOur application for the CPC was filed at Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, on 26th of March, 2009; and we got a letter of approval and registration on the 28th December, 2009.

â€œI delayed my announcement in order to give time for further consultations, establishment and consolidation of party structures and also dialogue with other political parties and groups in the search for a broadly based political platform.

â€œHappily, the CPC has now established Protem Executive Committees in at least 31 states of the federation with the rest of states now under consideration.

CPC is committed to change
â€œThe CPC is committed to change and positive development (and) will continue to interact with all parties and dialogue constructively with those parties that have compatible political ideologies with it.
â€œWe hope this will lead to the founding of a broad-based platform on mutually agreed terms for the purpose of re-defining and balancing political competition in Nigeria on ideological bases.

CPC ‘ll work for electoral reform
â€œCPC will, therefore, work for electoral reform that will lead to transparently free and fair elections, internal democracy, efficient management of resources, reform of the judiciary, development planning, empowerment of women and youth and the promotion of private initiative and job creation.”